Two Champion Trees at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

October 30, 2009

Two trees at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden have been entered on the New York State Big Tree Register. You're probably wondering what this Register is:

The New York State Big Tree Register is maintained by the Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) as an effort to recognize trees of
record size and promote an interest in their care and preservation. The
Big Tree Register is now available in scientific name order (PDF, 44 KB) and common name order
(PDF, 44 KB). The Big Tree Register lists only native and naturalized
species and does not include hybrid species. The authority for
determining eligible species is American Forests.

Two trees in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden — a 97-year-old Kansas hawthorn and a Carolina holly — have become official members of the state’s Big Tree Register, which keeps track of the largest (as opposed to the oldest) trees of their species on record, as defined by a formula that includes the height, circumference and foliage of the tree.